Port Bienville Receives Port Improvement Fund Grant Award

February 24, 2023

KILN, MISS - Governor Tate Reeves announced the recipients of the Mississippi Development Authority Port Improvement Fund Award on Friday February 17, 2023 to include the Port Bienville in Hancock County.

Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission requested and was awarded $2 million, with a 47% local match of $1,760,118 to construct a 30,000 square foot warehouse with a docking bay. The project will create 15 new jobs with existing tenant Goodnight Terminal Services to accommodate increased demand and new transloading services.  The new warehouse space also supports existing industries such as Calgon Carbon as the Port Bienville plant finalizes completion of the $200M plant expansion and new production line which will create 36 new jobs in 2022.

The award follows the latest state-sponsored economic development and infrastructure projects to enhance Mississippi’s efforts in business retention and new industry recruitment.

The project will soon start design once the grant agreement is finalized with MDA ,and bid and construction is projected to begin in the last quarter of 2023.

“Hancock County is grateful for Governor Reeves continued support of our tenant’s needs and forecasted growth at Port Bienville.  Port and Harbor has adopted an aggressive capital improvement plan to address deficiencies in our infrastructure that has restricted opportunities in the past and state and federal grants from our elected officials will pave the way for new industries in the future” – Blaine LaFontaine, CEO Hancock County Port & Harbor

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The Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission was established in 1963 to lead the county’s economic development activities. Stennis International Airport and Port Bienville Industrial Park are home to 30 companies with more than 1,000 employees. For more information visit www.portairspace.com.